Statesman and thinker espousing democratic rights. Under the influence of Itagaki Taisuke and Meirokusha, he moved to Tokyo in 1875 and joined the Freedom and People's Rights Movement. In 1876, he was imprisoned for contributing the article “Enjin Seifu” (Monkey Government) to the newspaper Yubin Hochi Shimbun. He participated in the Risshisha in 1877 and joined the movement for the restoration of the Aikokusha, the League for Establishing a National Assembly and the Liberal Party. He drafted the “Nihonkoku Kokkenan” (a draft of Constitution) in 1881. He ran in the first general election for members of the House of Representatives from the third constituency of Kochi Prefecture and was elected as one of the first members of the House of Representatives in 1890. He published Minken Jiyu-ron in order to enlighten the people.